Commentary on "On a shortsighted view of success: the spill over of Plan Colombia, or Plan Venezuela 200X?"

By Aleksander Boyd

London 24.09.05 | Further to Pedro's assessment of the guerrilla conflict spilling over to Venezuelan soil due to the steadfast action of Colombian President Uribe againt narcoterrorists and drug traffickers that have besieged that nation for over 40 years, I feel I need to voice my opinion. My view is pragmatic and may or may not be correct.

The problem of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and their incursion into the drug trade to finance their criminal activities has had a tremendous impact upon the lives of millions of innocent citizens across many nations. Statistics reveal that the count of Colombian refugees -due to the ferocious battles between the FARC, the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) and Colombia's military- runs in the millions already and the dead into the thousands. In addition it is not a stretch to say people around the globe have too being affected by this drama; cocaine addiction and related traumas have destroyed one too many lives and families. Taking into consideration the foregoing, coupled with the duties that a sensible president of a nation has got towards its fellow citizens and, indeed, towards its country's sovereignty, it comes not, to me at least, as a surprise, the sheer determination that President Uribe, joining forces with the USA by way of the implementation of Plan Colombia, has shown in erradicating from his land the FARC, the drug trade and its nefarious accompanying consequences. Uribe seems absolutely convinced to have as the number 1 priority to simply crush and defeat the narcoterrorists and late polls suggest that, effectively, this action has gained him the simpathy and support of 80% of Colombians, who have been abused too often too violently and for far too long.

Now should Uribe, as Pedro seems to imply, stop or in any manner alter his plans to rid Colombia of the problem because his next door neighbour, read Hugo Chavez, is only too happy in collaborating with the FARC by providing haven, weapons, ammunition, citizenships and safe passage to drugs and its traders? My opinion is absolutely not for one simple reason; Colombia and its citizens must not pick the tab of the utter innefficiency of the Venezuelan administration vis-a-vis the combating of narcoterrorism and its consequences. Mind you, being the case that Chavez, not only helps the FARC, but is actively pursuing an agenda of interference in the internal affairs of Colombia -amongst other nations in the region: how can it be expected that Uribe -on the basis of the existence of a harmless Venezuelan society, which is appallingly represented by useless, creepy and idiotic politicos and is effectively at the receiving end of the actions of a neocommunist crazed leader and now of those of the FARC setting shop in this side of the border- should put the interests and safeguard of his country and citizens below those of Venezuela because its government does not wish to help him tackle the problem or because Venezuelans have no means of ousting Chavez? That is, againg in my view, wishful thinking and a solecism.

Uribe is making good his promise to bring to an end decades of unilateral violence against his people, if Chavez does not want to do the same for his country that is for Venezuelans to solve not for Colombians or Uribe for that matter. Uribe duty of care is first and foremost towards his country and its inhabitants, as should be the case of Chavez. He has every right to hunt down FARC assassins, too bad Chavez is only too keen in giving them passports and welcoming parties.